Naruto: Crystal of the Gods
by Omega Fowl
Summary: Naruto embarks on a quest to uncover the secret of the Crystal of the Gods, the source of the Old Demons' power, and discover an impending doom to the world.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I definitely do NOT own Naruto. 

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**Chapter One**

Naruto awoke early in the morning to knocking on his door. He sighed. "I'm going," he said, in his usual flat emotionless voice. He walked over to his closet, and from the mess within he withdrew a black jumpsuit, which he slipped on. He then walked over to his door, and opened it.

Iruka smiled at him from the other side of the doorframe. He then noticed Naruto's drab jumpsuit, and his smile faltered. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then shut it, hesitating. Naruto smiled ruefully at him. "Come in, Iruka." Iruka nodded, and entered. 

The inside of Naruto's house was dismal. The curtains were drawn over every window; discarded ramen take-out cartons littered the table; clothes were stuffed everywhere…it looked like Naruto's home had been neglected since Orochimaru was defeated. 'That,' Iruka reminded himself, 'is probably true.'

"You really should clean this place up, Naruto," said Iruka. "It's beginning to smell." Naruto looked at him blankly. He shrugged. "I guess." Iruka frowned. "Anyway, I didn't come to berate you over the state of your home. Tsunade wants you to go to her office. She wishes to speak to you. A mission, I suppose." "Fine," said Naruto. His old enthusiasm over a new mission was gone, Iruka noted. "I better get going," murmured the blond chunnin. "See you later, sensei." "See you later, Naruto…"

Iruka shook his head. 'What happened to the Naruto we all knew and loved?'

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I don't mind if you don't review, because this is my first fanfic, but read it, okay?


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto. 

**Chapter Two**

"Naruto, as Iruka must have already told you, we have a mission for you." The Hokage looked at him seriously. Naruto looked back at her. "A mission…" "Yes, a mission."

Naruto grimaced, as if in pain. "I…I don't know." Tsunade looked at him sharply, but spoke gently. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice. You are literally the only person who can complete this mission successfully."

Naruto looked at her guardedly. "What kind of mission is it?" Tsunade shook her head. "It still strikes me as strange that you no longer jump with excitement at each new mission. Nevertheless, it's to be expected, I suppose…" Naruto nodded, but remained silent. "Very well," sighed Tsunade. "Shikamaru here will explain." She nodded at the jounin who had been standing by her side the entire time. Now, he stepped forward, slouching. "Stand up straight!" Tsunade snapped. Shikamaru complied, grumbling, and opened his mouth to say something. "If you speak a sentence containing the word 'troublesome', I will make you run fifty laps around the perimeter of the village! You may be a jounin and a genius, but I don't have a problem handing out genin punishments to you!"

Shikamaru hastily closed his mouth. Then he opened it again, and yawned. A vein popped on the Hokage's forehead, and her lips moved, as if in prayer. "Just…explain…the mission…" Shikamaru grinned. Then he turned to Naruto. "Okay, Naruto, listen up. This is a very important mission, and, as the Hokage said, you are the only man for the job. It's dangerous, an S-rank, and unfortunately, you're still a chunnin. I know it's not your fault… you haven't entered the jounin exams, not since we fought Orochimaru…" Shikamaru trailed off. "I'm sorry. You lost two good friends because of that, didn't you…and then another, when Kiba's team was defeated…" Shikamaru stopped abruptly, all laziness gone. He noticed Naruto's glistening eyes. "You cared about them very much, didn't you. Especially her." Naruto nodded, miserably. "I know what you feel. It was like that when Chouji died, but we have to go on. We are shinobi, after all."

"That is enough, Shikamaru." Tsunade slapped her hand onto the table, taking care not to break it. "Just tell him." Shikamaru nodded, for once not complaining. "As you heard before, you are the only person who can successfully complete this mission. There is a simple reason…you have the Kyuubi in you, after all…" yawned the lazy jounin, his usual lethargy returning. 

Shikamaru waited expectantly for a few moments, then rolled his eyes. "I thought that you were going to ask what the Kyuubi had to do with the mission…even you should realize that it is important…" "Fine," said Naruto. "What does the Kyuubi have to do with the mission?" Shikamaru shook his head, but if he had any complaints about Naruto's pointed lack of interest, he kept them to himself. "Did you ever wonder where the Kyuubi came from? Why it appeared?" Naruto shrugged. "Well listen up…you may as well learn something…The Kyuubi was one of seven great demon lords. Its origins, as well as the others', go back many thousands of years. This much we have discovered through archeological digs, which began about two centuries ago, when we stumbled across some artifacts depicting the Kyuubi and six other demons, manufactured by some long-forgotten and dead village. At the time these artifacts were discovered, the Kyuubi was still at large, of course, and the leading authorities of the time were dismayed to find that at some time in the past, there had been seven demons like the Kyuubi…so they hushed up the finds. Obviously, archeologists have continued the digs, even without authorization. They have discovered a great many things about the ancient demons…seemingly, the Kyuubi was the most powerful, and killed the other six. But several things of great importance have remained tantalizing mysteries: where the demons came from, what gave them such enormous power, and the like."

Shikamaru stretched his arms, yawned once more, and continued. "Recently, the archeological digs have become legal, and funding for them has been provided by the New Sound Village. And some very startling discoveries have been made. The demons…the demons seem to have been…created. Created eons ago, not by human hands. And their source of power…the power that was used in creating them…still exists. An ancient scroll speaks of a crystal that emanates an even more ancient power. The crystal is called the Crystal of the Gods, for the scroll says that only the Gods would have had enough strength to create such an object. And if the Crystal still exists, and was used to create demons of such power…if it still exists, the entire world is in danger. At the risk of sounding clichéd, I must say that if it falls into the wrong hands, we are doomed. It would empower it's finder with the strength of the Old Demons, a strength that has never been revealed in it's totality. Shukaku would pale before it. The Kyuubi would pale before it! It's holder would be unstoppable!"

"That's all well and good, but what does it have to do with the Kyuubi. What does it have to do with _me_? It looks like you've been wasting my time, Shikamaru. I don't see why you need me." Naruto glared at Shikamaru, annoyed. "Just send some team of jounin to find the thing, and leave ME alone!" He spat the last sentence at Tsunade.

Tsunade's eyebrows furrowed. "You little brat, you don't seem to understand. I'm tired of playing all nice with you. Get off your self-pitying little ass and listen up. I shouldn't even have to explain this to you, because I'm Hokage and you have to follow orders. YOU need to go on this mission because of the _fox. _It's inside YOU. It'll show YOU the way to get to the Crystal. YOU are the only person alive that can find the way, so YOU must GO. _Do I make myself clear?_" she snarled.

Naruto looked at her, and for a moment, Tsunade nearly recoiled. The look in his eyes reminded her of Sasuke…"Very well, _Hokage_, I'll go. I don't have a choice, like you pointed out. I'll go get ready." He spun on his heel and walked out."

Shikamaru shook his head. "And you said that we had to be gentle with him, that he lost the people he loved, blah, blah, blah." Tsunade glared at him. "Shut up." She closed her eyes for a minute, then grinned. "I said _you guys_ had to be gentle with him. Not me." Her grin grew even wider. "And I never knew that is was possible to put so much venom into a title of honor."

Shikamaru shook his head again. "I'm going to go take a nap." Tsunade opened one eye. "First, make sure Naruto's partners are ready."

Shikamaru nodded and vanished. 'I hope Naruto isn't too put off by his new squad,' thought the Hokage. 'He hasn't seen them in a while.'

'Well, he hasn't seen _anyone_ in a while.' The Hokage shrugged, and closed her eyes again. In a minute she was snoring like a baby. 


End file.
